Comparing the Efficacy of an In-Person Intervention With a Skin Self-examination Workbook

From 1992 to 2004, melanoma incidence for all categories of tumor thickness increased 3.1% annually, and there was a 3.8% annual increase in the thickest cancers (Breslow depth, >4 mm), which have the least favorable prognosis.1–3 Since most melanomas are discovered by the patient or a partner, skin self-examination (SSE) with the assistance of a partner has the potential to improve long-term survival.4–6 Given the challenge of examining difficult-to-see body areas (eg, the back), partner assistance is important.7 By creating a workbook from our experience with 130 in-person interventions that increased SSE and partner-assisted skin examination (PASE),7–9 we extend our group's previous research. The workbook codifies the dialog of the in-person intervention with exercises that amplify skills and provide a framework for the patient and partner to understand the significance of melanoma by “story telling” about other people with melanoma in a way that is a call to action. Herein, we compare the efficacy of the workbook with that of in-person training.